April 26, 2026
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held two rallies in West Bengal ahead of the second and final phase of polling, attacking the ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) and declaring, “The final phase will make sure the BJP comes to power.” He hailed record turnout in phase one, saying it showed TMC’s “arrogance is shattered,” and accused the party of running the state through “goons and criminals” rather than the secretariat. Phase 2 is scheduled for April 29 and results will be declared on May 4. The state has also faced controversy over mass deletions of voters during revision of the electoral roll.
Modi reacted to a shooting scare at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, saying he was relieved US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President JD Vance were “safe and unharmed” and that “violence has no place in a democracy.” Panic broke out after gunshots were heard at the Washington Hilton; a 31-year-old suspect from California was arrested.
Fresh unrest continued in Manipur as thousands from the Meitei community held rallies that turned violent when protesters were stopped from marching toward the chief minister’s residence in Imphal. The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) submitted a memorandum demanding justice after a bomb blast that killed two Meitei minors in Bishnupur district. The state has been mired in ethnic conflict between the predominantly Hindu Meitei majority and mainly Christian Kuki community for nearly three years, during which more than 250 people have been killed. Recent clashes between rival ethnic groups, including Naga and Kuki, left three people dead and five injured.
Veteran photojournalist Raghu Rai has died at 83 in a New Delhi hospital after battling cancer. Rai’s son said the illness had spread to his brain after earlier treatments. Rai, a Padma Shri awardee, worked as a photojournalist for five decades, covering major events such as the Bhopal gas tragedy and the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. In 1977 he became the first Indian photographer invited to join Magnum Photos after a nomination from Henri Cartier-Bresson. His last rites were scheduled at Lodhi Cremation Ground in New Delhi.
A Swiss International Air Lines flight from Delhi to Zurich (flight LX147) aborted takeoff early Sunday after an engine problem. The crew evacuated the Airbus A330 as a precaution; five people—four passengers and one crew member—were injured, reportedly during the emergency evacuation. Swiss International said it has launched an investigation. There were 228 passengers, four infants and 13 crew on board.
Former Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha lost nearly 2 million Instagram followers after switching to the Bharatiya Janata Party. His follower count fell from about 14.6 million to 12.7 million, a drop observers say reflects a dent in his appeal among younger users.
Weather warnings: northern and central India have been hit by a heatwave, with Delhi recording its hottest day of the year so far. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of continuing high temperatures.
This roundup captures major headlines from India on April 26, 2026.